Republicans: Were the progressives of the early 20th century evil socialists?

There was a party switch based heavily on ideals that many believe began in the 50's. It gained speed in the 20th century but if you research the ideals of the Republican party and the Democratic party in the 18th century you will see that the ideological switch is very obvious. At one point Republicans called themselves Republican-Democrats. This will help some people understand why most Democrats in history hold very conservative viewpoints and for the Republicans vice-versa.